Popular “Bakery on the Hill” Closes Permanently

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Stephanie Smith, co-owner of the popular Bakery on the Hill just announced that she has closed her business on Congress Street permanently. A sign on the door said it was closed, but it was assumed it was just for the winter; it’s not. It’s permanent. Smith had reopened the business on June 1, 2012, after it had been closed for rennovations.

Smith lives in Bridgeton and she found the almost three hour round trip commute not possible to do anymore. Also, her daughter Alexandra, became engaged to an attorney in New York City following her move back to Maine. Her expertise as a pastry cook in New York City was vital to the operation. Both of those factors weighed heavily in Smith’s decision.

“I loved being in Portland and meeting people who really became family tome. The support of the neighborhood mean the world to me and I couldn’t have asked for better. I love baking and sharing my love of food and people through a happy place like a bakery. I will miss my customers both human and canine very, very much, ” Stephanie wrote in an email to mhn.com this morning.

Rather, she is opening a scaled-back version of B .O. T. H. at the Causeway in Naples, much closer to her home. Since the lease for her new location has not yet been signed, she has not yet released the name of her business nor its location. “I am excited about the new opportunities in Naples. It’s a beautiful litle town with a great summer buzz. I hope to make it my baking home for many summer’s to come.” Smith hopes to open her new bakery in mid-May and remain open until after the Fryeburg Fair.

The Bakery opened under Smith’s ownership on June 1, 2012. She and her daughter Alexandra Trischler bought the business from Wolf Gonier who started it on a few years ago. Wolf turned it into a successful business and then flipped it. At the time, Gonier said she’d been in the baking business a long time and grew tired of it.

Stephanie and her hospitality will be greatly missed by her many friends on the East End of Portland.

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About the Author

In the past Carol was disappointed with the lack of news coverage of this very dynamic community on the eastern end of Portland. That's how and why this blog came into being. The main goal was to recognize people on the Hill leading unique lives, start-up businesses in the area, and other subjects of interest to people on the Hill. While local coverage of the Hill has improved, there is still plenty to report on and Carol plans on doing that for a long time to come.